


Past of Lies

by flamewing80



Category: Trinity Blood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-11-04 17:51:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10995921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flamewing80/pseuds/flamewing80
Summary: Professor Wordsworth has found a piece of lost technology and discovered its uses in time travel. The AX agents and Esther gather to discuss it's uses. When Kaya sets it off by mistake, not only are the agents sent back eight-hundred fifty-six years as are those close to the sister device in the empire. They must learn to survive in a foreign time riddled with war and mistrust. (Being posted on fanfiction.net as well)





	1. Ancient Device

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** Trinity Blood is owned by Sunao Yoshida.

_Tick, tock, tick, tock_. The mechanical rhythm of a cloak echoed through a small room. It was punctuated by the scratches of a pen. A soft glow fell over Abel from the flickering light of a candle. Several documents were spread out before him on the small table in his bedchamber. 

A bed was tucked in one corner of the space with a wardrobe squeezed in beside it. The desk was placed across the room from the wardrobe with only just enough space between the two for someone to stand before the chair. A small gape was between the bed and the draws of the desk. 

If Abel had his way, he would have done away with the bed entirely. He only slept in it when exhaustion overcame him. Then woke only hours later from the nightmares which haunted his dreams. 

Abel’s pen paused. He lifted the document and looked it over. He sighed as he set the pages down. “No, no, no,” he mumbled and scratched out what he had written. “That’s not believable.” He shook his head and lifted a fresh sheet. 

The report was over what had transpired while Abel had been in the empire as Esther’s guard. It wasn’t coming along, to say the least. Yet, reports were rarely easy for him. Not because writing them was hard. No, if he was just writing them for Caterina’s eyes alone, this would be a simple task to handle. He had to assume all reports would be handled by other agents within the Papal State Affairs Special Operations Section or AX for short. Thus, Abel had to change how he came off in the report. 

Over the years, it had become easier to make them poorly written and a little goofy; yet, it was still hard for him. He had to admit, after centuries of serious reports, this was a challenge that would just keep being challenging. 

A sharp knock sounded. 

Abel glanced at the clock. It was barely passed one in the morning, not yet time for morning mass. He stood; then purposefully fell as if he had just been woken. 

“What?” he grumbled in as tired of a voice as he could manage. 

“Father Nightroad, your presence has been requested by Lady Caterina,” Tres’s emotionless voice sounded through the door. 

“Eh? B-but it’s barely one!” Abel leapt to his feet and scrambled to the wardrobe. Again, he was pretending to be in a hurry. He was already fully clothed, having never gone to sleep. 

“Stop complaining and get out here,” a sharp voice sounded through the door. 

Abel untied his hair as he moved to the door. He started to gather his hair up as he opened the door, holding the ribbon in his mouth. “What’s happening?” he mumbled around the ribbon, slurring his “s” because of it.

Kate shimmered beside Tres, her eyes flashing despite the fact she appeared transparent as a hologram. “Get moving, the others are already on their way.” 

“Eh?” 

Kate vanished. 

Tres started down the hall, his steps heavy and giving a soft thud with each step he took. 

“W-what?” Abel scrambled after Tres. “What’s happening?” He pulled the ribbon tight, feeling several strands of hair falling out and around his face as usual. “It’s too early to be awake,” the words grabbled into a large yawn. 

“I can’t answer,” Tres stated in his normal emotionless voice. 

“Hmm? Why not?” Abel pouted. God, he always felt like such an idiot when talking to others. 

“Because he doesn’t know,” a smooth voice answered in Tres’s stead. 

Abel grinned. “Morning, Professor.” He waved at William. “You know what’s going on?” 

“I do.” The professor bit the stim of his pipe. He entered Caterina’s office before Abel could inquire further. So much for that source? 

Tres was a step behind William. A small breath escaped Abel and he pushed up his glasses. He entered the office and glanced at those gathered. 

Leon was dozing on the couch, one arm wrapped around Esther who looked as if she was ready to fall asleep where she sat as well. 

Abel forced a soft, small smile in her direction. He was fighting the urge to frown. Esther wasn’t a full agent. He glanced at the room. Everyone else gathered there was an AX agent. Though, now he thought on it, she might have been invited because she was now a Lady Saint. 

Almost every agent was there with the exceptions being Hugue, who Abel knew tended to ignore recall orders, and Monica. She made sense given her goal was mainly to kill Caterina and was only restrained by a collar around her neck. 

Kaya Syokka, code named Gypsy Queen, rested her elbows on Caterina’s desk. Her frame small and almost childish. She was older than the last time Abel seen her. Though, he admitted he hadn’t seen much of her over the past three years. The last time he had even seen her was Noelle’s funeral. They hadn’t spoken. She had left shortly after on another mission. 

Kaya was the youngest agent in the room. Her brown hair stuck out from under her white habit, brown, innocent eyes, tracking Abel’s every move through the room. 

Abel was careful to keep his distance from the girl.

Tres moved to stand on Caterina’s other side from where Kaya was. William set the case he had been carrying down before Caterina and turned to her. 

“It works,” he informed her as well as those assembled. 

Abel glanced at Leon who shrugged to show he didn’t have a clue as to what was happening either. Abel took another look around the room. No one outside of Caterina and William seemed to know what was happening either. At least he wasn’t the only one left out this time. 

“What works, Professor?” Leon demanded. “And why the hell wake us over it?” 

“Language, Dandelion,” Kaya snapped with a glare at him. 

Leon shot her a nasty look. “Just—”

“Another piece of lost technology, Professor?” Abel cut in before Leon could snap at Kaya. He would rather avoid a fight when all of them were tired this time. Well, all but him. He was used to working off little to no sleep. The others weren’t. 

William grinned around his pipe. “Right.” His grin was more than a little smug as he patted the case. “This one took me awhile to figure out how to activate it.” He opened the case and almost reverently pulled out an old, heavy orb. 

Abel stiffened. He recognized what it was at once. It was one of two devices created just over a hundred years after the end of the Terran-Methuselah War. The two of them had been created by a child Abel had once known well. He had sought to change history with them. 

Two agents of the empire and Abel, who had been the pope’s personal agent back then, had been dispatched to stop the radical group. It had ended with the child’s death. Abel had taken one of the orbs to the Vatican while one of the imperial agents had taken the other back to the empire and Seth. Abel had received a message later to never activate the device as it would destroy history as they knew it. As he had been in no position to do so, the thought had never once crossed his mind. Besides living through hell had been bad enough once, he had no desire to repeat it. 

“You said it works, William?” Caterina asked. Her gaze had shifted ever so slightly in Abel’s direction before she looked back at the professor. “What does it do?” 

“Well, that’s what’s interesting.” William tapped the small screen on the device. “It’s a time device.” 

“A what?” Kaya frowned. 

“I set it for a few minutes into the past and poof, there I was standing before it a few minutes before I had ever activated it.” 

“That’s insane, Professor,” Leon huffed. Though his expression said, “You woke us for this?” he didn’t voice the complaint, not before the “stunning” Caterina. His hair wasn’t as nice as if he had no time to prepare and look his best before her which pointed to the fact he had been pulled from his room like Abel had been or close to it. 

“But it does work,” Kaya started, eyeing the device, “we could go back to the human-vampire war and change everything. We could help the people of the past wipe out those blood suckers for good.” 

“W-what?” Abel stammered. “But we’re so close to peace in the now!” he protested. “Caterina,” – he turned to Caterina – “you can’t be considering this.” 

Caterina folded her hands before her mouth. “Calm down, Abel, we don’t even know if this device could work in such away.” 

Oh, it could. That had been Valdemar’s intent when he had recreated them. Still, intent and functionality were two very different matters. Abel knew they worked as Valdemar had managed to activate them by mistake. It had sent them back a few minutes and that had been a bad enough experience for Abel. It gave him one hell of headache. And this was only transporting his memory into his younger self of a few minutes ago. He didn’t want to think what it would be like to physically carry people through time to the past. Let alone how much pain he would be in if his one century old self ended up with memories spanning another eight centuries. 

“Um,” Esther started from where she sat, “we did just speak with the empress before Istavan.” She looked uneasy. “Wouldn’t it be wiser to see what the empress does next, Lady Caterina?” 

Caterina nodded it would be. 

Kaya had picked up the device from where William had set it. 

“Careful with that!” William warned. 

“What time stamp is this thing even using?” Kaya demanded, staring at the numbers it. “Ah, never mind.” She was messing with the settings. 

“Kaya,” William warned. He made to take the device from her. 

Kaya danced out of his way. “I just want to see how far back this goes.” A small smile was on her face. She was counting as she went. “Eight-hundred fifty, Eight-hundred fifty-one, Eight-hundred fifty-two, Eight-hundred fifty-three, Eight-hundred fifty-four, Eight-hundred fifty-five—Hey!” She cut off as Leon lunged at her. The two fell to the ground. 

Abel leapt forward, reaching for the device. It struck the ground. White-light erupted through the space, filling the entire room. Pain lanced through Abel’s skull. The others vanished from around him, lost in the haze of pure, blinding agony.

x – Seth – x

“You two brought help I see,” Seth grinned at Ion and Asthe as they followed Baybars and Mirka into an old room of the palace.

“What is this place?” Ion breathed as he turned around, staring at the walls lined with old boxes. Not everything was boxed up though, a few items were out on shelves. 

“This is what remains from the first two generations of the empire,” Seth informed the boy. “Be careful and don’t activate something in here without asking first.” She wagged her finger at the boy. 

He paled. “Of course not, your Majesty,” his voice broke a little, eyes wide as he watched her finger with horror. 

Seth giggled a little. “It’s just Seth, Ion.” She winked at him before she moved further into the room. “I’ve been looking for something among this mess for a while now and can’t seem to locate it. The boxes aren’t really organized anymore.” She wrinkled her nose a little. Annoyance filled her at how unorganized she had let the room become. So much so she couldn’t find the one item she was after. 

“What are you looking for, Seth?” Asthe asked as she stepped further into the room.

“I’m looking for something Solomon made for his first wife,” she confessed without giving away it had been made for her. 

“Don’t you keep everything of Solomon’s separate from the other founders?” Baybars asked as he moved over to one of the shelves. 

Seth nodded. “Yeah, but I searched through everything and they weren’t there,” Seth huffed a little. It was annoying her she had misplaced the daggers he had so lovingly crafted her when the Terran-Methuselah War had started without having to admit she didn’t remember where she had placed them last. “I even checked the weapons storage.” She gestured to a door at the end of the room. 

“Weapons?” Ion’s eyes widened with excitement. “You mean the genetic weapons the five families close to the first emperor held.” 

“Yeah?” Seth frowned. “What other weapons would I refer to?” 

“Is Azul’s sword still in there? And the Barvon family sword? Oh, and the Ring of Solomon?” Ion face was flushed with excitement. 

Seth sighed. “Yes, those weapons.” She moved off into the room. 

“Can we see them?” Ion asked as he followed Seth. “I heard the sword of Azul gets passed to each head of my family.” 

“It is.” Seth smiled. “But Mirka doesn’t fight with swords and you’re not the head of your family yet, Ion.” 

Ion flushed. “I-I know,” he mumbled. 

“What are you looking for?” Asthe repeated and tucked a lock of her hair behind an ear. Her hair was short now since the incident a few months ago. 

“Daggers, twin daggers,” Seth told them. “They’ll have been made with the crest of the Nightlord family,” she explained. “It’s rather embarrassing I misplaced them given we don’t have the emperor’s sword and only his sister’s daggers.” Understatement of the last hundred years. How could she have misplaced those weapons out of all the genetic weapons in the empire?! Especially those her beloved had made. 

“Should we recheck the weapons?” Ion asked. 

Seth scowled. “I already said I looked through them. There are only three in there right now!” She stalked off. “Check the shelves over there.” She gestured for Ion to move in one direction. “I’ll start closer to the weapons locker with Baybars. Mirka, you can start in the middle. Asthe, take the other side of the room from Ion. 

The Duchess of Kiev nodded and head back towards the entrance with a rather disappointed Ion. 

Seth shook her head. Now, at least, she knew her holding off on giving Ion Azul’s sword had been right. He was far too eager about those weapons. Plus, he was still learning from Baybars how to properly fight. 

“He’s really not ready,” Seth whispered to Baybars as the two of them moved to the back of the room. 

“No. And that goes for more than just Azul’s sword.” Baybars looked at her. “He’s not ready for the truth behind the emperor either.” 

Seth nodded. 

She leapt up the shelves to the ones at the highest point. These weren’t artifacts she wanted Ion and Asthe to see. They were dangerous. She knelt by the chest and unlocked it. Sure enough, the daggers weren’t there. 

A small breath escaped her. “I’m sorry, my love, I can’t believe I misplaced them.” She made to close the chest when a soft clicking started from an orb nestled at the back of the chest. She frowned and lifted the device. Numbers were flying down the screen then started to slow in the eight-hundreds. “Oh, no.” Seth set down the orb and screamed. “Everyone out!” 

Too late. 

Bright, white light erupted through the room. 

Seth tumbled from the shelves, trying to shield her eyes. Sheer agony shot through her mind. She couldn’t see; couldn’t feel beyond the agony. Her head ached; ears rang, blotting out all sounded. 

She blinked. The pain ebbed to the back of her mind; yet, remained pulsing through her. She felt something soft under her fingers. Seth blinked back the popping lights before her. She shook her head. The room spun around her. 

“Where—” her voice caught. Her eyes locked onto a familiar room, lit by the soft glow of a lamp. It wasn’t the empress’s bedchambers, rather the apartments she had once shared long ago with her husband. 

Her memory started to surface as she looked around the room. Her eyes caught sight of a book which had tumbled to the ground. She shifted and gently lifted the book. The title was worn and written in the old imperial language or UN basic as it had been called originally. 

That was right. Seth remembered when she had been reading this story. It had been one of the imperial days when she was waiting up for Solomon to return home from the war front. She really was in the past. 

That meant – Seth leapt to her feet. Oh no! She raced towards the door, throwing the book at the end table as she went. Her children were also here then. They were in a room which was currently still under construction. 

Seth threw open the door and bolted down the hall. Her heart hammering with fear. Barack always, _always_ had his people searching through the palace in case of threats. If his people ran across those from the future, they were dead. They were so dead. Abel would find them crazy and even she might not be able to help them. It could be taken by her brother as a “Vatican trick.” 

She whipped around a bend and into the parts of the palace which were still being built. There were a few terran workers there along with methuselah as it was late in the imperial day right then. 

“Lady Seth!” one of the workers called after her, voice ringing with worry. 

“It’s not safe!” another called. 

Seth ignored them. She arrived at the room which would one day store pieces of history from this time. She carefully opened the door. Darkness lay beyond the door. Only a thin sliver of light pierced through it from where the door had illuminated. 

She slipped into the room and closed the door behind her. The room was thrown into darkness. Her eyes slowly started to adjust. 

Cloth covered the scaffolding and plaster was still being smeared on the walls. The room seemed to echo with how empty it was compared to how cramped this room would become in the future. Though, it wasn’t completely empty. 

Baybars had stood the moment the door had snapped closed. Mirka was sitting up, looking around with a slight frown on her face. Ion had landed close to the door and was rubbing his head as he sat up. 

“What happened?” the boy muttered. His voice echoed off the walls. “Where are we?” 

Asthe frowned. 

“It’s not where, but when,” Seth voiced from the door. 

Ion jumped. “You were over there,” – he pointed to the far end of the room – “how did you get over here?” 

Seth gave the boy a sad smile. “Let’s just say, it’s complicated.” She moved further into the room. “Was anyone injured?” She looked between Asthe and Ion, carefully drawing in the smells of the room. She didn’t scent any blood. This only meant they weren’t badly injured. 

“But what happened?” Ion asked as he stood. “I don’t—Majesty, is this the same room?” 

Seth nodded. “It is,” she confirmed. “As I said, it’s not where we are but when.” She moved between the four of them, her gaze skimming them for injury. “When I told you to run, I had just checked on artifacts and other such devices recovered and classified as very dangerous. The one which was activated seems to have been activated by its twin which I know for a fact was taken to the Vatican over six hundred years ago.”

“So, it was activated Vatican side?” Mirka asked as she moved to join them. 

“Which just leaves the question to as when we are?” Baybars added. 

Seth frowned and thought for a moment. “I think we’re about eight-hundred fifty years back. I know we’re in the middle of the Terran-Methuselah War.”

“So, his Majesty the emperor is in charge of the empire at this time,” Mirka said. She frowned, eyes worried. “Would he believe you if you told him what happened?” 

Seth shrugged. “I honestly don’t know.” Worry prickled at Seth. She had just been thinking the same thing. “If it was activated Vatican side,” she trailed off. Her heart flickered with the thought she had been following. It had been activated Vatican side, was there a chance her brother’s memory had shot back through time like hers had? Yet, it would move through time and a further distance of space than hers had. 

She shook her head. 

“We’ll have to see later,” she told them. She forced herself to remember the day she had just been going through. It was groggy, but there. “He’s,” she started in slow tones, “spending today with his sons.” She narrowed her eyes a little. Then shook her head. “I don’t really want to interrupt them. He only just got back from the front.” If she remembered right, Alexander and Athina had rotated out to the front to give both Solomon and Abel a break so all of them could spend time as a family. Solomon had been due back just before sunrise. 

Ion blinked. “As in my ancestors?” he asked, voice hushed. 

Seth nodded. “Yeah, but they’re only kids right now.” Warmth filled her at the thought of her little nephews. “I think,” she frowned again, “they’re seven and four.” Yes, they were. Abel had only had them for a year at this point. He had adopted the “Fortuna” brothers, as some people still called them, just off the streets. He had arrived just in time to save Aran’s life. Abel hated it when people called his sons the “Fortuna” brothers or boys. They were his sons, not Ron’s and Zoe’s, his.

“Oh.” Ion looked a little crestfallen in the darkness of the room. 

A few minutes passed in silence. 

Seth shifted, lost in her own thoughts and worries over how to tell her brother about this mess as well as reveal gently to Ion and Asthe she was really Seth Nightlord, the emperor’s little sister. Then there was telling them Abel, or Father Abel Nightroad of the Vatican’s AX agency, was actually Emperor Abel Nightlord who had sold his freedom for peace. A peace which had lasted with only a few bumps for the better part of eight centuries. 

A soft sound from beyond the room greeted Seth. She stiffened as she listened to the voices. 

“Yes, Lady Seth ran this way,” the voice was saying. It sounded like one of the workers. 

“Thank you,” a familiar, calm voice replied. 

Footsteps echoed down the hall, heading towards the door. Seth’s heart raced. 

“Hide,” she hissed at her children. 

“Who’s coming?” Ion started to ask. 

Baybars placed his hand over the boy’s mouth and pulled him behind one of the scaffoldings. There they knelt, hidden in the shadows. 

The footsteps paused as the figure no doubt checked for Seth’s scent. Then the door opened. 

“Seth?” A tall, dark figure stepped into the room. The metal of his military uniform made little noise at the movement. 

“Sulayman,” Ion hissed. His voice was cut off as Baybars no doubt silenced him once more. 

“Solomon!” Seth grinned at her husband, heart hammering with hope he hadn’t heard Ion. 

Solomon glanced in the direction Ion’s voice had come from. The slightest of frowns had appeared on his handsome features. 

“I thought you weren’t due back until near sunrise?” 

“It is sunrise,” he stated. He stepped up to Seth. His hand touched her face, the fingers moving in the gentlest of creases. “Who is hiding in the shadows, my love?” His gaze, ever even, was locked onto her own. “And why aren’t you concerned about them?”

Of course he had noticed.

So, Seth explained everything which had happened. She didn’t go into details on his or even their personal futures. There was no need to cause him pain. 

By the end of it, Solomon was frowning, his hand on his chin. “I see.” His dark gaze was glazed with thought. “There were many theories on time travel pre-Armageddon, but the UN outlawed full research into the subject.” His gaze moved to where the others were still hiding. “You can come out. There is no need to remain hidden when those you’re hiding from know where you’re at.” 

Mirka and Baybars appeared first. Baybars was still holding his massive hand over Ion’s mouth. Asthe followed, looking a little stunned as her gaze moved over Solomon. 

“Now, who is Sulayman?” Solomon asked, his gaze now on Ion. 

“No one you need to worry about,” Seth spoke in a hurried voice. She shot a glare at Ion which she hoped he would read as “speak and I will tie you up.” Solomon really didn’t need to know right then they would end up splitting. 

“So, you believe we’re from the future, Admiral?” Baybars asked, voice polite as he looked at the first head of military affairs. 

“It is far from the strangest matter to occur,” Solomon gave Baybars one of his slight smiles. It was one of the few emotions he showed often. Though Seth knew a smile could mean very little where her husband was concerned. It didn’t mean he was happy. Instead he used a smile to ease back tension people sometimes got when dealing with the “machine admiral” as some of his young subordinates had nicknamed him. 

“It is?” Asthe asked with a frown of her own.

Solomon flicked his wrist. He turned to Seth. “We should speak with Barack first before going to his majesty,” his spoke formally. 

Seth placed her hands on her hips. Her eyes narrowed. She hated it when he spoke to her as if he were her subordinate and not her husband. Though, right then she might have to deal with it so he didn’t tell them Abel was the emperor just yet. 

“All right,” Seth agreed. “He is still refusing to leave the palace so he shouldn’t be too hard to find.” 

Solomon bowed his head. “True.” He turned and led the way out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this story as a test on how to post on this site. It is ahead on fanfiction.net


	2. Time Warp

Cold stone bit painfully into Caterina’s hip. Raw, pulsing pain shot through her skull. She let out a small breath of pain and forced open her eyes. The room spun before her gaze as the white light had spun around her before vanishing to blinding agony. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath through her nose and out through her mouth. She moved her hand and touched her hip. The pain was minimal. Most of it was from her skull. 

Good. At least her hip wasn’t broken on top of everything else. Caterina pushed herself into a sitting position. The room spun before her. She blinked a few times. 

It was her office, this much she could tell by the design of the room and the placement of the windows. However, in the same moment, it wasn’t her office. The furniture had changed. It was in a style she remembered seeing in the history books from after the empire had appeared. The furniture was made in a mixed style of Vatican and empire design, even the clock in the room displayed this. She blinked again. 

A soft clunk came from next to her. She turned to see Tres was getting up. “Damage minimal, systems function normal,” the machine reported his condition. His gaze scanned the room. “Damage report, Lady Caterina?” he asked as he held out his hand to her. 

“A little pain, nothing to worry about, Father Tres.” She took his hand and let the cyborg aid her to her feet. She swayed, the feeling of falling lurched through her though she felt her feet firmly planted on the floor. “Agents, sound off,” she called, listening as her voice echoed a little. 

“Here,” Kaya mumbled as she sat up. She looked a little ruffled, but otherwise unharmed. 

“What the hell happened?!” Leon exclaimed, making it very clear he was unharmed. Caterina could just see his large form stand. “Red? Hey, Red, you okay?” He moved back over to Esther. He held out his hand. 

“I-I think so,” Esther’s voice replied in small tones. She stood with Leon’s aid and adjusted her habit with her free hand. 

Caterina glanced around. Kate was nowhere to be seen. A small groan sounded from the other side of the desk. “William.” Caterina moved around the desk with Tres to her old teacher’s side. William sat up. His head in his hand. Caterina knelt beside him. 

“Damage report, Professor,” Tres stated. 

“Nothing I won’t live through,” William stated weakly. 

Caterina touched his face, his features appeared too dark even for this late hour. She drew back her gloved hand to see the darkness clung to her fingers. “You hit your head. Show me,” her voice was stern. She gently moved William’s head to one side, but, in the darkness, she couldn’t tell where he was injured. 

“Movement detected.” Tres moved his hands to where his guns were holstered on his back. His glass eyes were locked on the door into the office. Caterina stood and heard, more than saw, William use the desk to pull himself to his feet. 

Kaya stood as well, her hands resting on the fans at her hips. 

Leon moved Esther away from the door and backed her towards where Caterina stood. Esther’s hand rested on her own weapon. 

It was then Caterina noticed someone else was missing. Abel. They had each landed where they had been standing or sitting, or at least close to there. Abel had been mid leap to try and catch the device before it hit the floor. Then there was the fact the device proper was missing as well. 

“Tres, do you see Abel?” Caterina whispered to Tres. 

“Negative, Crusnik is not present in this room.” 

“Are you saying Four-eyes ditched us?” Leon hissed in a low voice. He made a disgusted sound. 

A soft sound came from the door. It stopped Caterina from replying to Leon. Her gaze snapped to the door. The door knob turned. 

Perhaps it was Abel. Caterina felt her heart quicken with unease and hope. 

Her hope flickered out as the door opened. It wasn’t Abel. 

The man within the doorway, stood about Abel’s height and had the same narrow build Abel did. His hair was long and in complete disarray. It appeared as if he had thought about putting up his hair, only to stop gathering up his hair halfway through. The slight curls fell into his face and over dark eyes which locked onto them. 

He wore a long, tattered coat which fell passed his knees. The cloths under the coat looked newer, but were still travel worn. Twin daggers were sheathed at his belt. 

The stranger looked between Tres, Leon, Esther, and Kaya, his gaze seemed to take in the fact all of them were battle ready. “Odd,” he spoke in a light voice. “I picked up a source of power which shouldn’t exist in this time. An energy long since outlawed by the government pre-Armageddon.” He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. The movement was slow, almost careful. There was nothing dangerous in his movement. “Tell me, what year is it?” 

“It’s six sixty-three of the holy calendar,” Kaya replied. “What year do you think it is?” 

“Ah, and therein lies the problem. Such a way of marking time doesn’t exist in this age, dear lady.” The man gave the slightest bow of his head. “It is twenty-o-seven ad.” 

Kaya frowned. 

It was William who replied. “The year for us by that calendar would have been thirty sixty-four.” 

“Ah, so my theory is proven. The energy I picked up was that of theoretical time travel.” The man smiled at them. “Forgive me for being so impolite. I needed conformation before giving my name. I am known as Nihilum, an agent hired by the Vatican to aid them in the war against the empire.” He bowed slightly. 

“Your name is ‘nothing’?” William asked. 

“Indeed.” Nihilum straightened. “Follow, we must move quickly to hid your appearance from those less,” he hesitated, “open minded.” He turned from them and left the room. 

Caterina hesitated. She glanced around the room. They were still missing Abel. 

“We can’t trust him,” Kaya growled. “He might mean you harm, Lady Caterina.” 

“We don’t exactly have a choice,” William pointed out. 

Nihilum poked his head back into the room. “We don’t have all night. It is best to move now before the cardinal whose office this is wakes.” 

Caterina nodded. “We follow him,” she told her agents and started towards the door. They fell in around her. Tres moving to her side and Kaya a little ahead to shield her from Nihilum in case he attacked them. 

Esther fell back to help Professor Wordsworth. He swayed on his feet. He pressed his hand to his head. Leon remained close to Esther. 

Nihilum led them through the familiar halls towards one of the larger rooms within the Vatican. He stopped and knocked. He stepped back, hands behind his back and eyes locked on the door. There was no sign of him going to knock again or louder even though that soft of a knock wouldn’t have woken whoever’s room this was in this time. 

A few moments passed before the door opened. 

Caterina felt her breath catch at the sight of the woman who had opened the door. It couldn’t be, could it? 

The woman before them was stunning. Her golden eyes locked onto Nihilum before skimming their group. The smallest of frowns appeared on her face. “Nihilum, who are they?” she asked. Her voice was gentle and filled with an infinite kindness. 

Nihilum spoke to the unmistakable figure of Lilith Sahl in a language Caterina had never heard before. 

Leon whistled a little. “She’s hot,” his voice was barely a whisper. 

Lilith nodded to Nihilum. “Come in.” She stepped to one side and gestured for them to enter her room. Her gaze shifted to Leon. “For the future, sir,” Lilith started, “I am taken.” Her smile was soft. 

“Of course she’s taken,” Leon muttered almost bitterly under his breath. 

Caterina followed Tres and Kaya into the room. The room was only just large enough for all of them to fit comfortably beyond. It wasn’t much of a shock given how Lilith was regarded in history as the Black Lady Saint, savor and defender of humanity during the war with the empire. 

Lilith closed the door behind Nihilum who was the last to enter. The room was cast into near darkness, broken only by the light of the moons beyond the window. Light flickered to life from the few candles close to the door. It was just enough for Caterina to make out the rest of the room. A nightstand rested beside the simple bed. A familiar cross glittered in the light cast by the candlelight. Yet, it wasn’t the cross which drew Caterina’s eye, rather two framed pictures by the bed. 

The first picture Caterina recognized. It showed Abel with his family, including Lilith. She had never gotten the story behind what they were wearing or even what was in the background behind them as it was a landscape Caterina had never seen. This picture was in full color however and not the faded one Caterina had seen. Lilith stood in the middle of the group, her hand resting on little Seth’s shoulder. Seth stood waving out of the picture. Abel was the one closest to Lilith while Cain, Abel’s twin who was rarely mentioned by Abel, stood looking coolly out of the picture beside Seth. 

The other picture was a beautiful painting of two girls who looked no older than seven. They stood arm in arm, smiling out of the painting. The one on the right looked like Abel with white-blond hair and shining blue eyes. The other had Lilith’s dark red hair and Abel’s blue eyes once more. Their skin was a few shades lighter than Lilith’s but too dark for Abel’s. 

“Isn’t that Father Nightroad’s cross?” Esther asked, pointing the cross on the nightstand. 

Lilith frowned. “Father Nightroad?” She crossed over to the nightstand and lifted the cross. She put it on and lifted her long, dark red so it wasn’t caught under the cross. “I’m sorry, but I’ve never heard of a priest by that name.” She laughed a little. The sound was just as gentle as her voice. “Though, that should come as no surprise given what Thomas told me.” She leaned against the nightstand. “I’m Lilith Sahl.” She bowed her head to them. 

“S-Sister Esther Blanchett,” Esther stammered with a slight blush on her face. 

“Who’s Thomas?” William asked. 

“Nihilum,” Lilith explained. She gestured to the bed. “Please sit, sir. I need to look at your injury.” 

William moved over to the bed. Lilith knelt before him and started to look over the wound on his head. 

“Why not just give us your name?” Leon demanded as he looked at Thomas. “It’s easier than Nihilum.” 

Thomas smiled a little at this. “Thomas is the name I was born to, yes, but there are fewer questions asked when I go by Nihilum,” he explained. Then looked at Esther. “Now, who is this Father Nightroad you mentioned?” 

The girl shifted and pulled at her skirts. “He’s,” she started, looking at the ground. 

Caterina stepped forward and pulled out one of the few pictures she carried on her. It had been taken right after the founding the AX. The picture showed Caterina surrounded by the agents who had founded the agency alongside her. 

“This is him.” She pointed to where Abel stood wearing new priest robes and his glasses. He stood close to her, Know Faith, and William. This was one of the last images Caterina had kept which had Vaclav Havel in it at all given she had to erase his existence as an AX agent after his betrayal and kidnapping of her younger half-brother the pope. 

Lilith had finished cleaning and bandaging William’s head wound. She moved away from him towards Thomas. 

Thomas took the picture. His eyebrows rose. “Abel?” He looked at Caterina, dark green eyes wide in shock. He held out the picture to Lilith. 

A small frown creased her beautiful features as she took the picture. Her expression softened, a hint of pain passing over her face. She gently touched the picture. She passed it back to Caterina. “Can you explain how the device which brought you here works?” she asked. “If Abel was in the room with you, he should have been with you unless it works in another manor.” 

William frowned. “Ah, yes, I see.” He looked at Lilith. “When I tested the device, I only went back a few minutes, but I was standing where I had been. The device only sent back my mind and not my physical body. However, this time around, given the large gape in time and all of us obviously not being born yet, it sent all of our physical bodies back through time.” 

Caterina’s eyes widened. “Which means, Abel’s memory would have ended up in his younger self?” she asked the professor. 

William nodded. “So, it would.” 

“Hold on a sec,” Leon cut in. “Are you saying Four-eyes is over eight hundred or something?” 

Kaya scowled. “I knew it was odd how he never aged. He’s a vampire then. I knew it!”

Lilith looked at Kaya with a patient smile. “We are all human, Sister.” Her gaze turned back to Caterina. “I take it, given Abel has my cross in the picture you showed us, I somehow die in this war?” 

Caterina bowed her head. “You do, Saint Sahl.” 

Lilith’s eyes softened with pain. “I see. And given only another holder of the crusnik nano-machine knows how to kill another,” she trailed off as she closed her eyes. 

Caterina wanted to say something, but couldn’t think on what to say to this woman. She knew the story about how Lilith had lost her life. She knew how much Abel still loved her even in their time. But, beyond this and what remained in history about Lilith, Caterina knew nothing about the woman. 

Lilith opened her eyes. “If Abel joined the Vatican to force a peace,” she started, “then if his memory has moved back in time, it will be his goal to end this war in as peaceful a manner as he can.” She looked at Thomas. “Do you think his Holiness, Pope Gregory, will be willing to listen to the idea of peace?” 

Thomas frowned. “He is more opened minded about strange events happening,” he started. “If he sees the picture you showed us,” he looked at Caterina, “he would be more willing to listen if Abel extended a plan for peace than he would be in normal circumstances.” Thomas bowed his head. “Granted, this assuming what happens with device is true.” 

Their Abel had to be in this time. Otherwise this could end with them making the war between the empire and Vatican far worse than it already was. Caterina had learned about the war in history. It had been long and extremely bloody for both sides. The way the war ended with both the deaths of the Saint Lilith Sahl and Emperor Nightlord had caused a stalled, extremely uneasy peace between humans and the New Human Empire. 

When Caterina had been handed Abel’s contract from her father, the previous pope before her half-brother, she had learned the truth about what had happened back then. Abel was or had been the first emperor of the empire. He had given himself to the Vatican to force a peace between the two groups. Abel had gone from an emperor to a slave in the blink of an eye, all for the future of his people. 

If his mind had traveled back through time, it was their best and easiest chance at forming a lasting peace between the Vatican and the Empire. 

“We must pray his memory came back as we did,” Caterina spoke to the room. Her gaze lingered on Kaya. Then she looked at Lilith. “I am Caterina Sforza. With me are my agents: Leon Garcia De Asturias, Kaya Syokka, Professor William Walter Wordsworth, and Tres Iqus. Esther is the Saint of Istavan in our time,” she finished introducing those in the room. 

Lilith gave them another of her kind smiles. “A pleasure to meet all of you.” She bowed her head to them. “This is Thomas Hall though, as you’ve learned, he goes my Nihilum to everyone outside of this room and the empire.” 

Caterina nodded to the man standing more towards the door. It appeared he had shifted to be on lookout in case someone approached Lilith’s rooms. 

“For now, it would be for the best, all of you remained here until I can find different clothing for you.” Lilith’s eyes lingered on Caterina mainly as she spoke. “Or until I can speak with the pope over this matter.” 

“Very well,” Caterina agreed. It was for the best. She had no desire to be branded a heretic and killed over this matter. Though, it would take time to resolve what was happening. It would also take time to learn what would happen with them. She doubted, even if they returned to their own time, that it would be the same place they had left behind.

x – Seth – x

Seth walked beside Solomon through the near empty halls of the palace. As the sun had risen, most of the Methuselah would have left the palace to return home before the deadly rays would kill them. Despite the knowledge the protective shielding had not been finished or even thought of yet, Seth’s heart felt light. She had never expected to be walking beside her husband before the weight of Abel’s sacrifice had fallen over the empire. A sacrifice which had brought them peace, but had forced Seth and Solomon a part for this peace to become a reality. Solomon wouldn’t have any knowledge of such a sacrifice nor what had happened following it.

It came as no surprise to find Barack pacing the hall Abel’s apartments were in. The founder of the yeniçeri had just stopped at the far end of the hall and turned when Seth led the group into the hallway. Even from this distance she could make out the slight frown on Barack’s dark features. He looked at the few men with him and spoke with them. Then, he raced down the hall to join Seth and Solomon. 

“I had been getting reports of strangers in the palace,” Barack started as he stopped before them, “I take it these are them?” He eyed Baybars over Solomon’s shoulder. His gaze only flickered briefly to the other three with them. 

“You’d be right,” Seth said with a smile at the large man. He looked almost as if he could be Baybars’s twin brother. Though, in reality, he was Baybars’s great-great-great-great-great grandfather. 

Seth explained what had happened to Barack. By the end of it, Barack was frowning, his hand rested on his chin. “You believe this?” he asked Solomon. 

“It’s far from the strangest matter to occur, so, yes. Seth has no reason to lie to either of us, as well.” Solomon’s gaze was calm as he looked Barack in the eye. 

“Ugh.” Barack rubbed his temple. “I’m too tired for this crap,” he muttered. 

“It’s your fault thinking it’s smart to work through the night and the day before,” Seth scolded at the large man. “When was the last time you went home to sleep?” 

Barack cleared his throat. “Moving on.” He glanced at those from the future before turning his gaze back on Seth. “His majesty might not be so easily swayed on this matter,” he pointed out. 

“I know,” Seth said with a small sigh. 

The door into Abel’s apartments opened.

Seth looked towards the door in time to see Azul race out. His face was streaked with tears and eyes wide with fear. He caught sight of Solomon. 

“Uncle Solomon.” The boy threw his arms around Solomon’s legs and wept against him. 

“What’s wrong, Azul?” Seth knelt beside Azul. 

“F-father,” – he pulled back from Solomon and took several deep breaths – “father f-fell.” Azul took Solomon’s hand and started to pull him towards the door. 

Barack bolted for the door and vanished into the room before Azul had taken a few steps. 

Seth shook her head. Of course, Barack freaked and over reacted. She turned to her children. “Wait out here,” she instructed them. She followed her husband and nephew. 

The room was just as Seth remembered it always being, the bare minimum. Though, since Aran and Azul had come into Abel’s life he had added a few more pieces of furniture and toys where the boys could reach them for when they were in Abel’s apartments. 

Aran was curled into the corn of the couch, clutching a giant teddy bear he had named Big Bear to him. Tears streaked his small, round face and he was more than half hidden by the massive teddy. He was staring over Big Bear’s arm at the floor before the couch. 

Following the boy’s line of sight, Seth saw her brother had collapsed to the floor, face down. It seemed his body hadn’t been able to discern the difference between times like hers had. She had at least remained in her seat. Either that or since the process had been slower for him by distance alone, he might have stood and collapsed. She supposed the only way to find out was to ask him when he woke. 

Seth leapt over the back of the couch and landed next to Aran. She pulled the boy close to her as she had done countless times before. “It’s all right,” she soothed Aran’s hair, running her thumb over his forehead. “Everything’s all right.” 

Aran curled into her embrace. Silent tears trickled down his face. Big Bear was pulled over him like a blanket and he clutched the bear with one hand, her arm with the other. Seth turned him so he couldn’t see Abel.

x – Abel – x

The world was white with the pain pulsing through Abel’s skull. He could just make out the sound of 02 hissing in rage and pain as well. They had been thrown in a frenzy when the device had activated. His mind riled. He couldn’t think through the pain; couldn’t feel anything under or around him. There was nothing but the pain and 02’s annoyance.

Then, the soft sound of a child crying came to Abel. It was followed by Seth’s gentle voice reassuring the child. It-it was Aran. Abel remembered reading to his sons before a headache had started to form. He had stood, wanting to get his sons to bed only to have collapsed when the pain over took him. 

Abel felt the soft, rich carpet under him. His finger’s twitched, curling against the expensive rug. 

“Majesty?” 

His heart fluttered. That was Barack’s voice. A mixture of emotions shot through Abel. Aran was crying and he could hear the soft hiccupped cries from Azul as well. His sons. Joy and pain curled around Abel’s heart. His precious sons were alive in this time, still children. His children. And he had frightened them by collapsing. 

And Barack was also here, no doubt worried out of his skull. Warmth filled Abel. They were all alive. His family. Both those who were blood or adopted into his family and those he had considered family even if they had just been extremely close friends. Solomon, Barack, Athy, and Alexander, they were all alive. 

“I’m going to get a doctor,” Barack’s deep voice cut through Abel’s joy. 

“N-no,” Abel managed to speak though his tongue felt heavy with the pain still beating through his skull. He pushed his hands into ground, feeling as the carpet and rug sank under his weight. Abel sat up. The room spun around him from the sudden movement. 

“Majesty!” Barack took hold of Abel’s shoulders. “What happened? Are you all right? Did someone do this to you?” 

Abel winced. Barack was almost shouting in his worry and fear. The sound struck his aching skull as if the man had been running his nails down a chock board. “Tone it down just a little, Barack,” Abel stated through the pain. “Otherwise, I’m fine.” 

“Father!” A small form wiggled between Barack and Abel. Abel felt small arms wrap around his neck. “You’re all right.” 

Barack moved back a little. 

Warmth filled Abel as Azul hugged him. He placed his hand on his son’s back. “I am,” he whispered. “I’m sorry for scaring you and Aran.”

“I-I thought you died,” Azul’s voice shook with fear. His face was wet against Abel’s neck. His eldest son hugged him tighter. “I thought A-Aran and I w-would be al-alone again,” Azul’s words dissolved into sobs of relief. 

“Alone?” Seth sounded indigent from the couch. “You two are never going to be alone. Not as long as I live! What sort of aunt do you take me for?” she demanded. 

Abel couldn’t glance at his sister. Instead, he leaned forward a little, drawing Azul closer. “I’ll never leave either of you,” Abel spoke in soft tones to his son. He stroked Azul’s hair. “I promise. I’ll never leave.” And this time he wouldn’t. There would be peace before Cain could ever attempt to kill Lilith. 

“I’m still getting a doctor,” Barack interrupted. His armor clicked as he stood. 

“That’s not necessary,” Abel stated. He wrapped his arms around Azul and lifted his son as he stood. His head pulsed with pain, but it was manageable now. 

“Abel—” 

“We can discuss this further after Aran and Azul are asleep,” Solomon’s calm voice stopped Barack’s protest. “Until then Abel is fine.” 

Abel looked at his brother-in-law and nodded his thanks. His sons had been through enough for one imperial day and night. 

“D-don’t want t-to leave dad,” Aran mumbled through Big Bear’s arm. 

Abel looked at his youngest. Pain and overwhelming love filled his heart. Aran. He was there in Seth’s embrace, alive and well despite being frightened. 

Azul tightened his hold on Abel. “I don’t want to go either.” Azul buried his face into Abel’s shoulder. 

“All right,” Abel started as he knelt before the couch, still holding Azul, “the two of you can sleep in my room tonight.” 

Azul brightened while Aran blinked over Big Bear’s arm. “R-really?” his youngest stammered softly while Azul shouted, “Really?!” 

Abel winced as the shout shot through his pain skull. “Really,” he confirmed. 

Azul wiggled out of Abel’s arms. His dark blue eyes shone with renewed happiness. Aran reached around Big Bear for Abel. 

Abel smiled and lifted the four-year-old into his arms, bear and all. He carried Aran to Abel’s bedroom. Azul’s hand had clasped Abel’s long coat as his elder son followed behind him. 

The room was several times larger than the one Abel had in the future in the Vatican. Though, he supposed this wasn’t shocking considering he was the “Vatican’s Monster” priest there and the emperor in this time. 

He set Aran on the bed and helped him out of his shoes and the fine shirt. The little boy wiggled under the covers. Azul was only a little behind his brother. Abel tucked the thick, fine sheets around his sons and Big Bear. 

Azul was asleep before Abel finished tucking them in. Aran blinked up at him with sleep heavy eyes. “Night, dad,” he mumbled. 

“Sleep well, Aran.” Abel brushed his thumb ever so lightly over Aran’s forehead. His precious sons. He would ensure they knew nothing of pain, nothing of bloodshed, and war this time around. They would grow up in a time of peace. 

Aran drifted to sleep beside his brother and the stuffed animal. 

Abel bent down and kissed them each on the forehead. “Sleep well,” he repeated this time to the both of them. 

Abel watched his sons even as he moved towards the door. A large part of him wanted to stay and watch over them as he had done those first precious months they had come into his life. Another knew he needed to speak with others, especially before Barack really did call a doctor to check on Abel. The last thing Abel needed was for a doctor to think him insane. 

Barack was pacing in the main room. He glanced towards Abel and stopped. “We need to call a doctor. It’s not normal for you to pass out like that, Abel.” Worry furled his brow and creased his lips in a frown. 

“It’s not normal,” Abel confirmed. “But nothing about what’s happening is normal right now.” 

Seth grinned and snapped her fingers. “I knew it. The device was activated Vatican side then and you were close to it.” 

“Wait, what the hell were you doing in the Vatican?!” Barack freaked. 

“I’ll explain after you’ve gotten some sleep, Barack.” Abel looked at the founder of the yeniçeri and one of his closest friends. It felt like only a few weeks ago he had said his final goodbyes to both him and Solomon. Yet, in this time, they were alive and well, if not both exhausted. Barack because he was refusing to sleep when Abel might be in danger or try to vanish on him. And Solomon because he had only just returned from the frontlines. “Both of you need sleep. Especially you.” Abel turned his gaze on Barack. “I have no desire to be lectured by your wife on overworking you.” 

Barack frowned. “She wouldn’t do that, would she?” 

“She would,” both Abel and Seth said in unison. 

Barack looked between them. He scowled a little then sighed and rubbed his eyes. “All right, but if you pass out again, I’m telling my men to call a doctor.” He gave Abel a stern look. 

“That’s agreeable,” Abel conceded with a small smile. His heart flickered with sudden warmth towards the founder of the yeniçeri. He had missed these small lectures and had never realized just how much until getting to see the man again. 

Barack nodded. He left the room. Abel could just hear him speaking with a few of his men beyond the door as well as a quick question from what sounded like Ion before he was silenced. 

“Who else was with you outside of Ion?” Abel asked. The warmth in him dimmed a little. Ion was one of the few people in the empire who would never expect Abel to be the emperor in this time. And he knew he was remembered because when he visited where the others were buried back in their own time and had seen a tomb for himself and Lilith atop the hill from his closest friend’s barrel sites. The site had been set up such that where they were buried in a ring around their emperor’s tomb. 

“Astharoshe, Baybars, and Mirka,” Seth ticked off names on her fingers. “They were helping me look for,” – she glanced at Solomon who was following their conversation in silent interest – “something I’d misplaced.” 

Great, Asthe was here as well. Abel rubbed his temple. His headache worsened with the knowledge both Ion and Asthe were here. The good news was, he assumed both Mirka and Baybars were aware of who he had once been in the empire given the events which had transpired when he had tried to see Seth only to find Mirka was standing in for her. 

“I am correct in assuming both Baybars and Mirka are aware I was once the emperor in the time we came from.” Abel glanced at Solomon. He was trying to choose his words carefully so he didn’t overreact as Barack had with the knowledge Abel had been in the Vatican sometime in the future. Yet, it was far more difficult to tell what would cause Solomon to react than Barack. Solomon had a way of hiding his true feelings towards a situation. 

Seth nodded. “I hadn’t informed Asthe to your identity before she left for Venice during the incident with Endre. When she returned, I decided not to inform her because she had met you in the outer and your influence on her was aiding in forming peace between the Vatican and empire.” 

Abel nodded. This made sense.  
“Ion was too young when he and Radu were sent as my envoys to Caterina for more on the idea of peace. He was still too young to understand, let alone accept why you did what you did even after the events which transpired during your and Esther’s visit to the empire.” 

This made complete sense. Ion was extremely loyal to Seth and took his duty to the empire seriously. For someone like him to learn the emperor was the “idiot” priest from the outer wouldn’t settle too well with him. Or, at least, from what little Abel had read about himself while in Asthe’s mansion. He had managed to read a few of the history books while the others slept. Given he had been unable to sleep at all while in the empire, he had been curious what had been remembered about the first generation of Methuselah. 

“I still can’t believe you placed me into history books,” Abel stated. 

“Oh, did you read a few while visiting?” Seth asked with a grin. 

“Yes.” Abel scowled. 

“Well, now, we can change history so you never have to leave the empire.” 

Solomon looked between them and let out a small breath. It was enough for Abel to know they had lost his brother-in-law awhile back. 

Abel tilted his head in Solomon’s direction, giving his sister a questioning look. 

Seth shook her head and mouthed, “Please.” She didn’t want him to learn they ended up separating because of Abel. Abel couldn’t blame her. If he thought on it, when he saw Lilith again he didn’t want to tell her Cain killed her in the timeline Abel had come from. 

“Who was with you when the device was activated?” Seth asked. 

“It would be for the best to explain this to everyone at once,” Abel replied. “I would rather not have to explain it twice.” Though he knew he would when he spoke again with Barack; then again to Athy and Alexander. “Let’s get this over with.” 

“All right,” Seth agreed, though she didn’t look too pleased about this. She led the way out into the hallway. 

“Majesty,” Baybars was the first to greet Seth. He bowed to her and Mirka followed. 

Abel stopped behind his sister as she was greeted by those from the time their memories were from. Worry wormed into his heart. He hoped Caterina and the others were all right. Hopefully Thomas or Lilith had been the ones to find them. His heart warmed a little at the thought of Lilith.

“Was his majesty all right?” Ion asked, voice creaking with excitement and a hint of worry.

“You could ask him that yourself,” Mirka laughed a little. “Are you all right, Emperor Nightlord?” 

“Evening to you as well, Mirka,” Abel stated instead of answering her question. 

Mirka smiled. “It seems history was correct regarding Barack’s overprotectiveness towards yourself,” she mused. “He was in quite the state upon leaving your rooms.” 

“I imagine.” And Abel could. The man would have made certain the guards knew to keep an extra close eye on Abel. Which also explained why they were hovering nearby in silence. 

Ion was frowning. His eyes locked on Abel. “Wait!” he exclaimed. “Aren’t you Father Nightroad?!” 

Abel bowed his head to Ion. “One in the same,” he confirmed in even tones. “Now, before you keep shouting, let’s move away from here so as not to wake Aran and Azul.” He started off down the hall. 

This wasn’t going to be fun or remotely easy to explain. He let out a small breath. Yet, this needed to be explained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there are references in this story which are from a story I'm not posting here just yet. It's a lot more work (posting wise) to post here than on the other site I post stories. Thus, with stories I want to have here as well it will take a long time and while I am reformatting them I might as well edit them as well. 
> 
> The girls in the painting are Lilith's and Abel's daughters. More will be revealed in this story about them as well. So, don't worry if you've never read any of my other TB works.


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